COVID-19 sparks family to sew masks for those on front lines
Every day, sewing machines can be heard zipping through fabric in multiple family households throughout Delaware and Pennsylvania.
It all started when Kathy Dougherty of Rehoboth Beach and her two sisters in Pennsylvania started making masks for family and friends. Then word spread quickly. A local Pennsylvania hospital reached out asking for masks. After being delivered, those masks were so well received that other Pennsylvania hospitals and police stations requested masks as well. And the movement began.
Dougherty then reached out to someone within the Beebe Healthcare system to see if masks were needed. The answer was a resounding yes. At that point, Dougherty and her mom Dorothy Mest got to work making masks for Beebe Healthcare.
To date, more than 1,000 masks have been donated to emergency personnel organizations, police departments and nursing homes. Getting masks ready has been a huge family project involving the three sisters, their mother, one of their daughters and three aunts.
Not only are they donating masks to emergency personnel, but also making them for local residents, too. Dougherty has donated several to residents of Sawgrass North where she resides.
These masks are being donated to emergency organizations and not sold. Dougherty said, “Even though I'm donating these masks locally, many people have been so appreciative that they are giving monetary donations or materials to show their thanks and to also be a part of this movement in their own way.”
Donated funds and materials are put right back into making more masks.
Representatives from healthcare organizations, police stations, other emergency organizations or nursing homes in need of masks can call Kathy Dougherty at 610-466-5710 for more information.
